The Woes of Richard Montgomery: The Invasion of Canada, 1775

Winter is coming for the American Army in Canada and the fate of the soldiers rests upon the shoulders of General Richard Montgomery. Following the flashpoint of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April and the easy capture of Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point in May, Congress authorized an invasion upon the advice of General Philip Schuyler in June. With significant support from Connecticut troops, an invasion force moved north from Crown Point in August. When the Americans encountered resistance from the British Army, command devolved upon Brigadier General Richard Montgomery of Rhinebeck. A former British officer, Montgomery had covered much of the same ground nearly twenty years earlier during the French and Indian War. In contrast to that preceding invasion, the efforts of 1775 would conclude in dismal failure.

Join Historian William P. Tatum III, Ph.D., for an unconventional investigation of this generally overlooked campaign, which partly served as a training experience for many leaders who would appear at the Battles of Saratoga. This presentation will focus on the plethora of personnel issues that threatened to defeat the American efforts more quickly and viciously than British resistance. Learn the fates of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, riding high on the successful captures of Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point, yet soon to face a different experience in Canada. Meet John Brown, the future bane of the British forces re-occupying Ticonderoga. Decode the complicated interplay of the extended Livingston Family relations. Bask in the baleful fury of the age-old enmity between New Englanders and Yorkers. See how these threads came together to form the fabric of Richard Montgomery’s final months of life, a man who wanted nothing more than to be at home in Dutchess County.

William P. Tatum III holds a Ph.D. in British Imperial History from Brown University and has served as the Dutchess County Historian since 2012. He is a peer-reviewed published author and has presented extensively as venues across New York and the East Coast. He also leads Dutchess County’s Rev250 Commission and administers the Dutchess County Rev250 Programming Grant, which has underwritten 22 new projects in 2025.

Support for the Fall Lecture Series is provided by Friends of Saratoga Battlefield. Reservations are required due to limited space. Email us (SARA_Reservations@nps.gov) to reserve your seat!